An important aspect of most daily operations within an office is the ability to handle telephone calls and data transmissions to and from the organization in an efficient and timely manner. One well known method of handling a multitude of incoming calls is by the use of a private branch exchange (PBX) or central exchange (Centrex). PBX systems are on-premises exchange systems serving a business, which can be coupled to multiple incoming and outgoing trunk lines and multiple telephone sets within an office. Centrex systems are similar in many respects to PBX systems. One well known difference is that Centrex systems are located at a central office at the telephone company. PBX and Centrex systems provide a variety of functions such as switching of calls from the incoming trunk lines to any of the extensions, transferring calls between extensions, and switching calls between extensions and outgoing trunk lines. Numerous PBX and Centrex systems are well known and commercially available. PBX and Centrex systems control a plurality of telephony devices and operations using a centralized control apparatus.
A number of telecommunications systems are also available which provide users with flexibility in the handling of telephone calls. One example is a personal computer based facsimile answering machine. To operate a facsimile answering machine from a personal computer, a processing card is resident in a personal computer and is coupled to an incoming telephone line through a fax modem. A telephone can also be coupled to the telephone line, through the modem. However, in such systems a voice call and a facsimile data transfer cannot be performed simultaneously. Incoming telephone calls are answered by the computer card and the incoming message is recorded. Unfortunately, the telephone will ring regardless of the type of incoming telephone call, thus creating confusion for the user because he or she will be unsure as to whether the call is an incoming facsimile message which the computer needs to answer, or if the call is a voice call which the user may want to answer. If the call is an incoming facsimile message, the user must know not to answer the telephone. In such systems, if the user does not pick up the phone in a predetermined number of rings, the computer will answer the incoming call and will then determine if the call is a voice call or an incoming facsimile message. If the call is a voice call, the computer will play a pre-recorded message and will then record an incoming message. If the incoming call is a facsimile message, the computer will record the data and will post a message to the user that a fax communication was received. The user can then print the fax communication when desired.
A number of automated call processing and voice messaging systems are known in the art. This type of system can be coupled to a PBX or Centrex system and used to automate the answering of incoming calls from the outside telephone network and the taking of messages when the extensions are not answered by the called party. Such voice messaging systems incorporate such features as the recording of voice messages for users in what are known as user "mailboxes." One such system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,355,406 issued to Chencinski et al.
Chencinski describes an integrated call processing and messaging system that is controlled by customized applications. The system incorporates a voice messaging system and applications processor coupled to a PBX system. The PBX and voice messaging system supply information to the applications processor related to an incoming call. The applications processor thereafter begins execution of a call processing flow program designed to handle the processing of an incoming call and associated messages. The call and message handling capabilities include call processing, voice messaging, interactive voice response, host data base access, call routing features, and local database access.
While the system taught by Chencinski is effective for its intended purpose, that of supporting a large business where a centralized telephone intelligence is sufficient, it cannot be effectively adapted for a small office environment, such as a home office. This is true because the system of Chencinski requires a PBX type switching system. Such PBX type switching systems tend to be large and expensive. A PBX type switching system is most effective at handling the telecommunications networks of large companies where intelligence is centralized in the PBX device and numerous extensions are coupled thereto. Furthermore, the system taught by Chencinski requires a system administrator that is proficient in the call flow programming language. Still further, the system of Chencinski does not provide users with the ability to make real-time changes to the configuration.
In addition to call processing and messaging some automated telephone systems known in the art provides a capability of outdialing to a set of telephone numbers at the same time. Such a system is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,475,748 issued to Jones. This type of systems, however, are not suitable for small businesses or home offices. First, these systems are installed near a central office or as part of a PBX because these systems have to be coupled to the central office or PBX via multiple telephone lines in order to perform multiple outdialing operations. A small business or home office may not have access to a PBX or multiple telephone lines. Second, because each outdialing operation employs one of the telephone lines, the number of outdialing operations that can be made simultaneously is limited to the number of available telephone lines. Thus, if the number of outdialing operation desired exceeds the number of telephone lines, some of the outdialing operations will have to be done sequentially. Consequently, for a small business or home office having a single telephone line, an outdialing operation can only be performed after a previous one has terminated. Therefore, for small businesses, no significant amount of time is saved by using the automated telephone system as disclosed by Jones.
A telephone interface system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,748,656 to Gibbs et al. Gibbs et al. describe an interface arrangement which interconnects a business communication system with a telephone station set. This interface is implemented in a personal computer which serves to control the operation of the associated telephone set and also provide business communication services. All signalling from the business communication system is received by the personal computer, interpreted and appropriate control signals are then forwarded under control of the software resident on the personal computer to activate the digital telephone station set. This arrangement enables a user to create software on the personal computer to control the operation of the telephone station set associated with the personal computer. The user can implement new features and services independent of the operation of the business communication system.
Typical business telephone systems, as those described, provide the user with capabilities beyond what is offered by the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). These capabilities are tailored towards the needs of the users but typically include abbreviated dialing, call transfer capability, sequential call forwarding, status reporting, call coverage, camp-on, automatic call-back, voice messaging and voice message reply and forward.
Unfortunately, the systems referred to above provide telecommunication services which combine with a switching network such as a PBX or Centrex system and are directed at a specific type of environment. These systems are effective for their intended market because they provide centralized intelligence which serves multiple users performing a number of preconfigured functions. PBX systems, which are usually coupled to a voice messaging system, provide a centralized and intelligent unit for providing service to a number of pieces of associated telephonic equipment within a large office environment. This type of system is analogous to a mainframe computer which serves a number of dumb terminals. The individual terminals must be located physically close to the central chassis of the system for connection within the system. The maximum amount of users which can be included within such a system is fixed by the capacity of the central chassis. The result is that the most capable systems are available only to the largest customers. Smaller customers typically install cheaper and more limited systems which must then be replaced when they are outgrown. Because of the physical limitations, requiring close proximity of users, users who are at remote locations typically give up much of the desired functionality.
The centralized intelligence units, as described above, are not efficient at serving a single user performing a number of reconfigurable functions. This would be analogous to a mainframe computer serving a single home user.
The Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) is a world-wide standard adopted by the International Telecommunications Union which provides a "basic-rate interface" (BRI) between the telephone company's central office and a subscriber having a bandwidth capacity of 144 kb/second. This interface is divided into three channels including two bearer (B) channels, each having a bandwidth capacity of 64 kb/s, and one delta (D) channel, having a bandwidth capacity of 16 kb/s. Each bearer channel can carry the equivalent of an analog telephone call. The delta channel transports signalling information such as call-setup and call-progress information. Telephone calls are established using the D-channel. In prior art ISDN communications devices, established calls must be assigned to a B-channel. In those devices, a maximum of two separate conversations can take place simultaneously via two separate phone calls assigned to the two B-channels. If more than two simultaneous phone calls are desired, more BRI ISDN lines would be required to provide facilities for more than two calls.
The ISDN connects a subscriber to the Public Switch Telephone Network (PSTN) which allows the subscriber to conduct traditional telephone functions over the ISDN line. When two ISDN subscribers are communicating with each other, enhanced functionality can be achieved. For conventional phone calls, speech is encoded on a B channel exactly as it is within the digital networks of the phone carriers. Because almost all of the modem world's inter-exchange networks are now digital, to support analog telephony, the end offices of the network perform a final step of digital-to-analog conversion. However, when a phone call is destined for an ISDN subscriber, the network simply passes the encoded data stream to the customer's ISDN equipment where the necessary conversion takes place. Thus, for regular telephony, including conventional fax and modem transmissions, ISDN is completely interoperable with the installed base of analog phones.
For data transmissions, the fill 64 kb/s of each B channel can be made available, separately or together, to attached computer equipment, while packet data, at up to 9600 b/s, can share the D channel with signalling information. If both ends of a data call are handled by ISDN, data can be transported at up to 64 kb/s, without intervening analog-to-digital conversions. Two separate calls can be made between the same end points, and the bandwidth can be aggregated to achieve up to 128 kb/s for data transmission. Higher data rates may be achieved if data compression is also employed.
Over the ISDN, all information for establishing and terminating calls is sent digitally. A user's ISDN equipment originates a call by sending a call set-up message, including the destination phone number, over the D channel to the network. To indicate an incoming call, an analogous set of messages is sent from the network to the ISDN equipment. This data stream typically includes identification of the calling party, the dialed number, since multiple numbers can be configured to terminate at the same interface, and information about how the call was routed. Once the call is established, communication takes place over the B channel(s).
Connections for data transmissions over the ISDN are made almost transparently. No modem negotiation or training is necessary with an end-to-end ISDN data call. For such a data call, a connection can be made, data transferred and the connection dropped, in seconds. In addition, because the ISDN sends signalling information over a separate channel, notification of incoming calls can be delivered even if both B channels are in use, allowing the terminating equipment to decide whether to reject the new call or drop an existing connection and accept the new call.
As the business work place changes its shape and function, an increasing number of business functions are being performed in small offices or out of individual's homes. In this small environment, single users require many of the features of larger PBX based systems but on a smaller scale and with greater control and flexibility to the user without the expense and overhead of traditional business telephone systems. What is needed is a stand alone telecommunications device that integrates the telecommunications environment of a small office and couples it to the Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN). What is also needed is a telephonic system with integrated control functions including machine intelligence which is distributed to each individual user and is easily upwardly scalable to link multiple users together.
What is needed is a device which will allow a user to initially configure a telecommunications device to meet his or her general needs, provide him or her with current configuration status and also allow the user to perform real-time configuration adjustments quickly and easily.
What is further needed is a telecommunications device that not only answers calls, but also permits a user to screen an incoming call by listening to the callers message and having the ability to pick-up a handset and begin conversing with the caller at any time during the call.
What is still further needed is a device that allows for a virtual office to be created between a plurality of small offices, each located at a different location.
Under certain circumstances, a user will desire to place more than one telephone call at a single time. For example, the user may desire to contact a person knowing that the person is in one of several places, eg., office, car, home or club. Using prior art equipment, when a user only has access to a single telephone line, the user will necessarily dial each number sequentially and wait to determine whether a call is answered before continuing with a next call. If no call is established, the time spent attempting to reach a connection is essentially lost. What is further needed is a device that allows multiple outbound calls to be placed simultaneously using a limited number of telephone lines.